Death of a Salesman Act II

1. Death of a Salesman Act II To what degree are our parents responsible for the people we are?

2. Desire to plant seeds • Symbolizes (when he is most optimistic) • Reconnect to nature • Create something tangible • Raise thriving sons • L’s laughter • Doesn’t take this seriously – shows what is to come  • Mortgage • Willy doesn’t react significantly / this true measure is unimportant to him • Repetition of stockings comment • This is a manifestation of his morality – immoral and not dealt with

3. Howard’s office • H “shushes” Willy (just like W does to L) • More interested in his new toy (its value would support Willy’s needs • W continues to “sell himself” as a great success • H’s view and W’s differ (even though W helped build the company) • Outdated system of loyalty – “business is business” • W hands H his lighter – told Biff never to do this

4. Reference to Singleton • W’s other role model – values, like Singleton, business contacts rather than his friends and family • Singleton is the epitome of “well – liked” (very superficial value that W doesn’t understand)

5. Howard • H abandons W • Technology (and the world) have passed Willy by • W In stark contrast with 3 generations of Wagners (father, son, children) • Willy’s exaggerations catch up with him – H comments that he thinks his boys (B and H) are successful • H calls Willy “kid” : immaturity / equates wealth with personal development

6. Expressionism moment - B • Two different belief systems – B believes that wealth is tangible / W that personality and contacts are the key

7. Goes to Charley / Bernard • Discussion about Biff – Willy refers to football career / Charley is more realistic • W gets angry (sees how C is correct) • Discussion with B • Cant understand why B is successful and B isn’t • We know (audience) that it is because Willy taught him the wrong set of values • School not important • When fails and to go to ss – goes to Boston and gives up • Bernard is exceptionally humble / contrast to W’s constant bragging about illusory success

8. Charley / Bernard … • C understands the demands of the current capitalistic world; W is focused on (what is described as) chivalrous world • W refuses job again – not independent – he insists on being a “hero” • His measure of success is $ and material goods

9. Frank’s Chop House • Happy – lies to impress (like W) / treats women like objects to possess • We learn that B stole a crate of basketballs – B is stuck in same self-destructive cycle – fail math / not go back to ss • Willy has warped his kids so that they cannot be a success in the real world

10. Chop House … • Biff decides he wants to break this cycle – H does not • B sees that the Loman’s false dreams are destructive and he wants to share this with his father • W prefers his illusions / delusions • W tries to focus on failing math – exclude himself from any blame • B will never be a rising star he is a “low man”

11. Back home • B puts rubber hose on table – “hits W with the reality” • H reveals himself – rejects any truth that does not suite his convenience • “The woman” – B came to find W to get “out of” the work of ss

12. On the road (impressionism) • “The woman” – B came to find W to get “out of” the work of ss • W agrees to try to help – B mocks his teacher – which brings out the woman – which shows W to be a “phony” • Cheats on his wife • Steals $ from his own family to buy stockings

13. Back at Franks • W tries to tip Stanley – his surrogate son but fails • W sons have abandoned him

14. Home • W to plant vegetables – delusions or leave something of himself • Linda reveals that she sees the truth about her sons • H continues to lie; B starts to confront the truth • B says that he will leave forever – which, for him is an act of love – for Willy, abandonment

15. Home • B says that W’s unrealistic ambitions for him made it impossible to be a functioning member of society • B tells W (as does B) that suicide is not the choice of a hero • B’s revelations now show him that the A Dream is about valuing what you have – tries to make W see • W, unfortunately, sees B’s tears as how well-liked he is • Finally, alone with B – he decides that $ is the only thing of value he can leave – cannot view himself as a loving father or husband